“I know. Believe me, I fucking know but I can’t talk to her right now and explain. I have to be part of the search crew. I need you and Danny to stay with her.”
“Mike, she needs you, too. If you walk out of here tonight to go search for this guy without first talking to her and letting her know what happened and how you feel then she’s going to distance herself from you.”
“What do you mean? Why? She knows I’m a cop, that I need to be part of this.”
“She doesn’t know anything because you haven’t told her shit. Danny took her upstairs to shower and change. You need to clear the air and let her know what you’re doing and how much you love her.”
“What’s going on?” Danny asked, joining them at the kitchen counter. It was dark out. Dinner was cooking in the pan. Mike just wanted to explore the feelings him and his brothers had for Marlena and not be facing a situation like this. The guy was taunting the police, basically saying that he didn’t think they could catch him. It was like he thought he had the upper hand. That was what really pissed Mike off. Who the hell was this guy and how did he get away with all the things he did and not get caught? He was barely questioned by police. He looked at Danny.
“Where is Marlena?” Mike asked.
“She had a headache. She’s laying down a bit. I told her we would wake her to eat in a little while. So maybe you’d like to explain in better detail about today, and what the plan is so we can find this asshole and take him out,” Danny said to Mike.
Mike took a deep breath and released it.
“Now is a better time as any to explain things to us. The three of us need to be on the same page about this guy. What’s the plan of action? Is anyone looking for him right now?” Danny asked.
“There’s a team out right now. They’re casing the wooded areas, and a little far north into the mountains in case he’s hiding out there. So far no word on anything yet,” Mike told them, and he explained about Marlena’s cottage, about Peter’s note, combined with what they already knew from Detective Morgan.
“So this other team, the one you want to be part of, is going out in the morning?” Danny asked.
“About four a.m. The sheriff got a hold of his friends in the K-9 unit. They feel they can get a great scent of Peter from the bedsheets and other items he touched,” Mike told them and ran his fingers through his hair.
“Great. When do they start?” Jack asked.
“They should have by now. Maybe we’ll get lucky and it will lead us right to the fucker,” Mike said, and Danny and Jack agreed then talked a little more about tomorrow and how they would protect their woman from this monster.
* * * *
Marlena threw on a pair of shorts and a tank top. She lay down on the bed after drying her hair. She needed time to think, and to process what was happening here.
As she closed her eyes and thought about her men. She felt how much she adored them and just wanted to get lost in their arms, with the three of them making love to her together and making her feel complete and finally loved.
The past wasn’t quite behind her. Sure she made mistakes. Hell, she was paying for the biggest mistake right now. Falling for Peter, a man who manipulated her mind, controlled her every move, and eventually tried to kill her. Now he was back. Searching, possibly in this town. A town she had grown to love, to appreciate, and wanted to remain in. Her heart felt heavy. Especially thinking that she was placing so many other people in danger because of her. It wasn’t right.
But she loved it in Chance. She loved Mike, Danny, and Jack so much. They showed her what love really was and she wanted to learn more and explore more with them. She never thought about having children with Peter. It was like she knew deep down that he didn’t love her like that. He obsessed over her like a possession. But with Mike, Danny, and Jack, she wanted to have children. She wanted to share that bond, God’s creation with all their qualities combined. She didn’t care how it worked. She’d love them and honor them and be the best wife they could ever ask for. She could have it all.
She felt the gentle breeze caress through the open window. It was a warm summer night, and normally she would have sat on her back porch at her cottage and enjoyed the quietness. But tonight she sensed something different, something that had her opening her eyes and feeling scared to be alone. It was on the tip of the breeze that caressed her body as it snuck through the opening in the window. It put her on edge. It made her feel a fight in her she hadn’t felt before. Was she being protective of her new lovers, the men she adored with all her heart? How could she protect them?
She sat up, listened carefully, barely hearing the sounds of anything but the breeze as it caused the curtain to flap against the window sill.
It was quiet. Too quiet, and she suddenly longed for the touch from her men. The protective shell they seemed to wrap her in whenever they were near.
She placed her feet on the floor and felt her heart begin to race. She wanted her men. She needed them. They would protect her, make her feel safe and loved, and she couldn’t stand to be away.
As she began to stand, she heard the creak on the floor and went to turn, shocked at the sudden sound, but it was too late. The hand went over her mouth, the hard, fierce fingers dug deep, gripped her hair, and pulled her backward. She struggled but a moment as her eyes locked onto Peter’s. He looked wild, sadistic as she kicked her legs and scratched at his face.
He straddled her on the bed.
“I’ll kill them. I have the house rigged with explosives. I’ll burn them to death while we watch from afar. Do you understand me?”
She felt the tears roll down her cheeks. He was so heavy and hard against her chest as he covered her body. She nodded.
“You cooperate, and they’ll live. Unless you want them to die along with you?” he asked, teeth clenched, his spittle hitting her lips. She was disgusted, scared, sick with fear. She nodded. She would do anything to protect Mike, Jack, and Danny. She had to do this. It wasn’t right for them to get hurt or die because of her.
“Get up, and do as I say.”
He eased off of her, but his hold was firm. He immediately wrapped a bandana around her mouth and tied it tight so she couldn’t scream for help or make the men aware of his presence. Obviously they hadn’t set the alarms yet. They did that at night before they went to bed. Her men were right down stairs and she couldn’t call to them. She wouldn’t let Peter hurt them. She knew what he was capable of. She needed to do something, but she couldn’t allow him to hurt them. She obeyed his command, especially as he pulled the knife from his hip and held it to her throat.
“Not a sound,” he whispered.
She never saw it coming. She didn’t know what he did, but she felt the pinch to her neck and she reached up to cover the spot. She looked at him, eyes wide, and saw the expression of pleasure, or accomplishment, as her vision blurred and her body went limp. Darkness overtook her. He won. She was as good as dead.
* * * *
“What did you just say?” Mike said into his cell phone as him and his brothers prepared dinner. Danny was heading upstairs to wake Marlena.
He placed the phone on speaker.
“The dogs caught a scent. We’ve been traveling through the woods. He’s somewhere on your property. We’ve pulled them back and we’re on the outskirts,” Taylor told him.
“Danny, get Marlena. We’ll bring her to the basement and protect her from there,” he called to his brother.
“Hold them back, Taylor. We don’t want to spook him. If he’s going to try and break in to get her we need to be ready,” Mike said and nodded toward Jack. Jack went to the cabinet on the wall that looked like a bookcase. He pressed on the button to the side and the bookshelf began to move. Jack started pulling guns from the shelves.
“Mike! Mike! She’s gone. There’s a needle on the bed. I think he got her. Oh God! I think Peter has her,” Danny yelled.
“What?” Jack yelled out and he ran up the stairs behind Mike.
; “What is it? What’s wrong?” Taylor asked, still on speakerphone.
Mike looked at the messed up covers, the needle on the bed and the one shoe on the rug.
“Fuck! He has her, Taylor. Peter took Marlena, right out from under our noses.”
“Fuck!” Danny kicked the dresser, making it rock and almost tip over.
“Get your gear and get out here. The dogs are picking up on the scent. They’ll find her. Bring out something she was wearing,” Taylor said and Jack grabbed her light sweater. He brought it to his nose, closed his eyes, and smelled her scent.
“We have to find her fast, Mike. He’ll kill her.”
“We will. I won’t let him take her from us. I won’t,” Mike said.
Danny picked up the shotgun he placed on the dresser and held it against him. “We’re not going to let him kill our woman. Let’s move.”
* * * *
Marlena felt her head pounding. She moaned and realized instantly that she was tied to something. Her eyes and nostrils burned. Was that gasoline she smelled?
She blinked her eyes open and saw Peter watching her. He’d doused the place in gasoline. She was going to burn to death.
She cried out and tried to pull her hands and legs from the confinement of the rope.
“Help me! Help!” she screamed and struggled.
He struck her with a backhand.
She screamed at him.
“I hate you! You sick son of a bitch. They’ll get you and when they do you’ll die a miserable painful death.”
He struck her again and again. Her vision blurred and he pulled back and spat at her.
“You’re nothing. They’re nothing. I’m going to watch you burn and then I’m going to watch the three men you’ve been screwing watch you die.”
“Fuck you!”
“You deserve to die. Screwing three men. I heard you with him in the fucking shower. You bitch.”
“That’s right. I was making love to him, just like I made love to his brothers.”
He straddled her waist and tore her T-shirt apart.
“You’re going to pay for that. You can’t fight me. You’re weak and this time you’re going to die. I can take anything, everything away from you, Marlena. I’ve told you that over and over again back home. You belong to me. I molded you into the woman I wanted you to be.”
“You didn’t mold shit. If I was the woman you wanted me to be, then why did you cheat on me?”
He smacked her again and she cried out in pain.
“I have needs, Marlena. I wanted you pure and perfect. But I see now, that you’re fucking three men like some whore, that I misread you. You weren’t worth my time. Then you tried to run from me. Like you could do that. Like you had control. Never. I’m the one that can give you life or death. I will always have control over you. Always.”
“You’re sick, and you’re evil. I’m my own person. You knew that. That’s why you cheated on me and tried to kill me. But you lost everything. You lost the slut you were screwing and you lost your control of me,” she said to him, feeling her lip drip blood and her cheek ache something terrible. Her eye was swelling closed and she was shocked when he gripped her by the throat and started choking her.
She kicked and struggled to get free. He leaned forward, hands on her throat still, and kissed her. He plunged his tongue in deep and she was desperate for breath, to live. She didn’t know what to do when she bit into his tongue.
He struck her, instantly releasing his hold on her neck. The strikes went everywhere as he battered and beat her until she couldn’t move.
She lost. He won. Her vision blurred, the tears flowed, the weakness was overpowering, and she lost her ability to see.
She heard a noise. She saw the flash of a lighter and Peter smiling.
“Who won now, Marlena? Who always wins?”
He tossed the lighter to the corner and instantly fire began to flow up the wall. It would be minutes before it reached her on the bed. She was going to die.
She looked at him, knowing that he felt triumphant and as if he truly won.
“You didn’t win anything. I don’t love you. I never did, but I love them. My three men, and that’s what you can always remember about me. My last words before I die. I love Jack, Mike, and Danny forever!” she yelled, voice cracking, everything aching, and the fight leaving her body, forcing her eyes to close.
* * * *
“Run, goddamn it. I see smoke!” Danny yelled as the multiple police cars, ATVs, and regular trucks made it to the log cabin in the woods twenty minutes from their house. The dogs almost lost the scent, but as they searched for close locations that Peter could have taken her to, another group with dogs picked up on a scent down the dirt road that led to the cabin. They found her. But the cabin was already showing signs of fire.
They all ran as fast as they could. Mike, Danny, and Jack barreled through the door along with their friends and fellow community members.
Danny saw Marlena. The fire nearly at the bed she was tied to. She was beaten and battered. Unconscious from either the smoke of the damage done to her body. Him and Jack ran to her to cut the ropes. But Mike roared in anger and headed to the side. Danny and Jack never even saw Peter. Their focus was solely on getting to Marlena and saving her. She didn’t move at all. He heard yelling, a struggle then glanced to the right. Peter rushed at Mike and the two fought. Jack was untying Marlena and Danny felt filled with fear for his brother and for their woman. They could hear the scuffle then the sound of a gun going off had Danny and Jack pressing over Marlena’s body in a protective shield. Danny saw the gun on the floor and then Peter reach for it.
“She’ll die and all of you will too.”
“Freeze! Give it up. It’s over.” The sheriff yelled toward Pete, gun drawn. Taylor and the others had their guns drawn too and then Mike did some serious combat moves, manipulated the gun from Peter’s hands, and reached for it. Danny watched Mike fall backward then shoot at Peter as Peter lunged for Mike’s throat. The gun went off. Peter lay on the floor, a bullet to his head.
“We have to move. The fire is moving too quickly. The fire department is on its way. They won’t make it in time,” the sheriff yelled and helped them along with Taylor to cut the ropes.
“Oh God, look at her. She’s all bruised and cut. What the fuck did he do to her?” Jack asked as Danny slowly went to lift her.
He got her into his arms. She was limp, barely breathing as Jack checked her pulse. As he stepped from the house with his brothers, a sea of law enforcement and friends were there. All carrying weapons. All ready to protect one of their own.
“An ambulance is on its way,” Taylor told him, his expression like everyone else’s. Shock, disgust, perhaps feelings of failure like Danny was feeling.
The sound of sirens blaring filled the air. The lights from the ambulance could be seen coming up the dirt road quickly. As he stopped short, and the paramedics got out, even they were members of Chance.
“Please. You have to save her. Help her,” Danny said to them.
“Jesus. What the hell happened to her?” the paramedic asked as they helped her onto the gurney and began to look over her injuries to see what were more serious.
“We have to get her to the ER. Her pulse is really weak. She could have internal bleeding from the way her ribs and neck are bruising and swelling. We need to move,” the paramedic said, and they strapped her in and began to get her into the ambulance.
“Go with her, Danny. We’ll follow,” Mike said and Danny nodded and then jumped into the back of the ambulance.
The doors closed and he saw his brothers’ eyes and their friends’ expressions. They all might have been too late. All he kept thinking was that he never should have left her upstairs alone. If he hadn’t, maybe he could have fought off Peter and saved Marlena. She was his responsibility. She was their woman and they claimed her, took guardianship over her, yet they failed her and it could cost her her life.
He held her hand and c
overed his mouth with his hand as tears filled his eyes.
He’d finally found the perfect woman to love, to complete the bond between him and his brothers, and he ruined it. They all did. They failed terribly.
* * * *
“It’s not your fault. None of us expected that he was already in the house hiding. We looked everywhere. It was out of your control, so stop beating yourselves up over it. She’s going to pull through,” Sheriff Max Gordon told Mike, Danny, and Jack. But they didn’t want to hear it. For several days, Marlena lay unconscious. The doctors worked on running tests and finding out what drug Peter had given her. Whatever it was, she suffered an adverse effect from it and it sent her into a coma. The doctors didn’t think that was a bad thing, considering the injuries to her ribs, and the severity of the damage to her esophagus. She had a breathing tube, was sedated to help her heal, and an I.V. of fluids and nutrients was constantly going.
Mike ran his fingers through his hair as he stared at Marlena. She was white as a ghost. She looked frail and weak. It brought tears to his eyes every day he came here and sat with her. His brothers weren’t saying much. When they talked, they fought. They argued about leaving her alone, about failing as her guardians and about not having what it took to care for her and love her and protect her the way she deserved. Everything was falling apart.
“Boys.” They all looked up when they heard their mom’s voice. The sheriff left the room and their dads stood outside in the waiting area.
She had been a total mess when she first saw Marlena lying in the hospital bed with all the tubes and monitors going. Even Marlena’s friends, Alicia, Mercedes, and Adele cried. They would be by again shortly. They came by on their lunch breaks every day and at dinnertime after they left work. Marlena had so many visitors. So many people loved her and wanted her to heal and get better. Her room was covered with balloons and flowers, and she couldn’t open her eyes to see any of it.
Dare to Trust Page 14